Office of the Schroeppel Town Clerk
Your Doorway to Local Government
69 County Route 57A
Phoenix, New York 13135
Phone: 315-695-6231
Fax: 315-695-1210
Office Hours:
Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
Closed from 12:00 until 1:00 for lunch.
Friday 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Schroeppel’s Town Clerk is
Darlene Owens
Darlene has been a resident of the Town of Schroeppel since 1987. She was the Deputy Town Clerk for 5 ½ years. She has been a wonderful asset to the Town Clerk’s office, and you will probably recognize her smiling face from the Phoenix HSBC Bank where she was Head Teller until the bank closed.
The Town Clerk works diligently to continue her education and to stay current with all the changes and updates from the various State Agencies she deals with to insure that she is serving the taxpayers of the Town of Schroeppel and surrounding areas to the best of her ability.
A Brief History of the Town of Schroeppel
The Town of Schroeppel was established in April of 1832 and was named after George Casper Schroeppel. The Town of Schroeppel is the largest township in Oswego County and is located in the southernmost portion of Oswego County, bordering on Onondaga County. Schreoppel’s southern boundary is the junction of three rivers, the Oneida and Seneca, which join to form the Oswego River. Within the Town of Schroeppel we have one incorporated village, which is Phoenix, and the hamlets of Hinmansville, Gilbert Mills and Pennellville. As of the 2000 census the population of Oswego County was 122,377, the Town of Schroeppel was 8,566 and the Village of Phoenix was 2,251.
On September 23, 1916 a disastrous fire destroyed the entire business district of the Village of Phoenix, which housed not only the Village’s records but also the records for the Town of Schreoppel. The loss of these records was devastating and we are still feeling the effects of that loss.
Since Biblical times, the office of the Town Clerk has traditionally served as a direct link between the residents and their local governments. While Town Clerks are generally credited with issuing licenses, that is only a small part of the complex job. Law mandates many of the Town Clerk’s duties, but Town Clerks go well beyond those mandates and serve as a major source of information to all.
Because the Town Clerk wears many hats this website will give you a sampling of some of the duties that are performed in the Town Clerk’s office, followed by links to forms that are frequently requested that you are welcome to download.
Please don’t forget to keep up with what is going on with your Town Government by reading the most recent Town Board Minutes.
The Town Clerk as a Public Relations Officer:
The Town Clerk is normally the first contact with your local government and the Clerk’s office is the informational center for the Town. Usually the first place people call to find out anything from the phone number for the local Post Office to finding birth, death or marriage records. Although the Town Clerk’s office is a very busy place the Clerk is always available to help you or to direct you as to where you need to go to obtain the information you need.
Notary Public: As a service to the public, Schroeppel’s Town Clerk is a Notary Public. If you are in need of a Notary service, please be sure to bring a photo I.D. (Drivers License) and remember you must wait to sign your document in front of the Notary. The Town Clerk’s fee for this service is just a “smile.”
Certificate of Residence Form: When a college student goes to a Community College outside his or her County they will need a Certificate of Residence filled out and submitted to the County Clerk in the County where he or she lives for reimbursement from one county to another. The form must be notarized; this can be done at the Town Clerk’s office or at the County Clerk’s office when you submit the paperwork. Please see the forms section for a “Certificate of Residence.”
Use of Building: The Town Clerk’s office schedules the use of the rooms in the Town Hall and marks the events on a calendar in a display case across from the Clerk’s office. The Town Hall is usually a very busy place most evenings, we have everything from Town Board meetings to Justice Court to music by “Cora and Friends” on Friday evenings. Because the building is so frequently used we must have people reserve the rooms for meetings or special functions. See the forms section for a “Use of Building” form. If you are interested in reserving the Community Park you must contact our Community Services Department at 315-695-2801.
County Maps: The County no longer supplies the maps for free, unfortunately there is a Two Dollar ($2.00) fee to obtain a map. You can stop by the Oswego County Clerk’s office or send a self addressed stamped envelope, a check for $2.00 along with your request to: Oswego County Clerk; 46 E. Bridge Street; Oswego, NY 13126.
The Town Clerk as the Town’s Recording Secretary:
Although the Town Clerk has no voting rights or input on the passage of legislation for the Town, the Town Clerk or Deputy Town Clerk must attend all Town Board Meetings. The Town Clerk authors the minute books, the only official records of the activities of Town Government. Please see the link for the minutes of the Town Board Meetings. Minutes that are not shown in the link can be reviewed or picked up at the Town Clerk’s office. Residents are not just welcomed to review the record of the actions of your legislating body, but are encouraged to become active in the affairs of the Town.
The Town of Schroeppel Town Board meets twice a month, on the second and forth Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall located on Route 57A in Phoenix, New York.
The Town Clerk as a Cash Control Officer:
It is the responsibility of the Town Clerk to perform numerous duties relating to billing and the collection and disbursement of funds. All incoming cash is recorded and disbursed to State, County and local fiscal officers. The Town Clerk also assists with State and internal audits.
The Town Clerk as Records Management Officer:
The Town Clerk is the custodian of all Town records and is responsible for active files, storage and disposition of inactive records and maintenance of archival materials.
Town Clerk as a Filing Officer:
The Town Clerk maintains the records of adopted Local Laws, Town Oath of Office, Resignations, Annual Budgets, Assessment Rolls, Wetlands Maps and many more important Town documents. The Town Clerk must also maintain the public signboard, submit all legal notices for the Town Board to the official Town newspaper and file and maintain burial permits for the cemeteries located within the Town.
Town Clerk as Coordinator of Freedom of Information Request:
It’s your “Right to Know”…. The Freedom of Information Law of 1978 was passed to enable you to know how your government works and provides the right of access to records reflective of governmental decisions and policies. The Committee on Open Government was formed in 1974; the Executive Director is Robert J. Freeman who can be reached at 518-474-2518 or, on their website at: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/coog/coogwww.html
As the Records Management Officer the Town Clerk is the administrator of the Freedom of Information requests. Please see the form section for a “Freedom of Information Application for Public Access to Records.”
Town Clerk as Registrar of Vital Statistics:
Birth and Death Records – the Town Clerk is often appointed keeper of all birth and death records within their Township. The Town Clerk also issues burial permits as well as conducting genealogical searches. See the form section for: “Application to Local Registrar for a Copy of Birth Record”; “Application to Local Registrar for a Copy of a Death Record”; “Application for Genealogical Search”; and “Application to Town Clerk for a Copy of Marriage License.”
Unfortunately, because of the major fire all records prior to 1916 were destroyed. If you are looking for records before 1916 they are filed in Albany, you will need to contact:
New York State Department of Health; Bureau of Vital Statistics; 733 Broadway; Albany, New York 12220-2602, the phone number is 518-474-3077.
The Town Clerk’s office issues both birth and death certificates. For your protection and the protection of your loved ones, the Town Clerk’s office is unable to give information out over the phone in regards to a birth or death record. These records are not available to just anyone, a person must show just cause to obtain either a birth or death record. For automatic release to an individual, the record must be for you or be requested by the mother or father of the individual. If a birth or death certificate is required for legal purposes an attorney must make the request on letterhead stating the reason for the request, such as insurance beneficiary or legal action.
There is often confusion as to where to look for a birth or death certificate. You will not necessarily find the records you are looking for at your local Town Clerk’s office. It will depend on if you were born at home or in a hospital. In the case of a death certificate, it depends on where the person died and where the death was declared, at home or at a hospital.
If the birth or death occurred in the Village of Phoenix you will need to contact the Village of Phoenix Clerk; 455 Main Street; Phoenix, New York 13135, the phone number is 315-695-2484.
If the birth or death you are looking for occurred in a hospital in Syracuse you would need to contact Onondaga County Vital Statistics; 421 Montgomery Street; Room 20 (Basement of the Civic Center); Syracuse, New York 13202, the phone number is 315-435-3241.
If the birth or death you are looking for occurred at the Fulton hospital you would need to contact Fulton City Clerk; 141 S. First Street; Fulton, New York 13069, the phone number is 315-592-5390.
If the birth or death you are looking for occurred at the Oswego hospital you would need to contact the Oswego City Clerk; City Hall; 13 West Oneida Street; Oswego, New York 13126.
Genealogical Services – No records for a birth can be released for Genealogical purposes unless it has been on file for at least 75 years and the person to whom the records relates is known to the applicant to be deceased. No information for a death record can be released for Genealogical purposes unless it has been on file for at least 50 years. No information can be released for a marriage unless the record has been on file for at least 50 years and the parties to the marriage are known to the applicant to be deceased. This can be waived if the applicant is a descendant or has been designated to act on behalf of a descendant of the person whose record is being requested. A descendant is a person in the direct line of descent. The applicant will be required to provide photo identification and documentation of descendancy prior to the release of the information. All copies of records issued for genealogical research will be clearly marked “For Genealogical Purposes Only.” See the forms section for “General Information and Application for Genealogical Search.”
Unfortunately, because of the major fire all records before 1916 were destroyed. If you are looking for records before 1916 they are filed in Albany, you will need to contact:
New York State Department of Health; Bureau of Vital Statistics; 733 Broadway; Albany, New York 12220-2602, the phone number is 518-474-3077.
The Town Clerk as Election Coordinator:
In accordance with Federal and State regulation, the Town Clerk becomes the coordinator for all Special Elections and Primary and General Elections. The Town Clerk must advise the State and/or County of vacancies for elections. The Town Clerk oversees polling places and makes sure the polling places are opened on time. The Town Clerk must deliver all election supplies to the poll workers and must be available at the end of polling to collect all election results. The office of the Town Clerk is a source for voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications. If you have a question about your voter registration, or would like to work as a poll worker please contact the Board of Elections at 1-800-596-3200 or 315-349-8393.
Town Clerk as Licensing Officer and Receiver of Fees:
The Town Clerk issues a variety of licenses through the office; the following is a brief list of licenses:
Marriage Licenses – the Town Clerk issues marriage licenses, this is always a special event not only for the couple but also for the Town Clerk. Please see the form section for a “Worksheet for a Marriage License.” The worksheet is just a tool used in issuing the license; it helps to make the process go a little faster for both the Bride and Groom and the Town Clerk.
To be married in New York State you must have a marriage license issued in New York. That license can be issued by any Town Clerk within the state, but, remember if you need a copy of your marriage license in the future, for retirement or social security, you have to remember where the license was issued. An easy way to remember this is to have your license issued at the Town Clerk’s office where the bride lives.
The New York State Department of Health requires ONE of the following forms of identification when applying for a marriage license: Drivers License; Non-Drivers License; Valid Passport; Original Naturalization Papers; Military I.D. or Employers Photo I.D. The Applicants must also have ONE of the following: Original Birth Certificate or Original Baptismal Record. Only the name that appears on the documentation is acceptable. We cannot Americanize a name. All foreign birth and baptismal records must be accompanied by a certified translation. Once a marriage license has been sent to Albany the surnames (family name or last name) cannot be changed, the surname chosen will forever be on the record. Applicants may change their surname at any time simply by usage. The Bride and Groom may not use their current surname for a middle name and if both names are to be used they must be separated with a hyphen. No one under the age of 14 can be married in New York State. If both the Bride and Groom are 18 years old or older, no consents are required. If you should have questions in regards to the age requirement between the age of 14 and the age of 18 please call the Town Clerk’s office at 315-695-6231 for further information.
You must have the license 24 hours in advance of the marriage and the license is good for sixty days. Both the Bride and Groom must be present at the time the license is issued. The fee for the marriage license is $40.00. If you have been married before you must have copies of any and all divorces or if your former spouse is deceased you must have a copy of the death certificate. A medical exam or blood test is no longer necessary in New York State.
We ask that you please call 315-695-6231 for an appointment to have the license issued and that you be at the Town Clerk’s office by 3:00 p.m. to give enough time to complete the license before closing time. If you should have any further questions after reviewing the worksheet do not hesitate to call the Town Clerk’s office for help.
Unfortunately, because of the major fire all records before 1916 were destroyed. If you are looking for records before 1916 they are filed in Albany, you will need to contact:
New York State Department of Health; Bureau of Vital Statistics; 733 Broadway; Albany, New York 12220-2602, the phone number is 518-474-3077.
Certified Copies of Birth, Death or Marriage Licenses – The fee for a certified copy of a birth, death or marriage license is Twenty-Five ($25.00) dollars for each copy. A certified copy is used for official business such as change of name, insurance claims, social security benefits, passports, traveling outside the United States (this includes Canada) and a variety of official paperwork.
The certified copy, in recent years, is printed on safety paper so it cannot be altered, it has the raised seal of the Office of the Town Clerk and has a statement affixed stating that it is a true and correct copy.
Unfortunately, because of the major fire all records before 1916 were destroyed. If you are looking for records before 1916 they are still safe and sound and living in Albany, you will need to contact:
New York State Department of Health; Bureau of Vital Statistics; 733 Broadway; Albany, New York 12220-2602, the phone number is 518-474-3077.
Conservation (Hunting and Fishing) Licenses – The Town Clerk is mandated by law to sell hunting and fishing licenses. 2002 was the first year for the new DEC DECALS licensing program. The licenses are sold through a direct modem hook-up with WorldCom who is handling the maintenance of the new licensing system for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. If you are a hunter, you know what a trying time it has been with system crashes, equipment malfunctions, program malfunctions and the lack of supplies being delivered to the points of sale. Each year since 2002 it has been a little easier and quicker to issue the hunting licenses.
The hunters no longer have to mail their request for doe permits into the DEC and wait to hear back if they were selected to receive the permits. The doe permits are now done at the point of sale and the hunter knows right away what the results are.
After October 1, 2002 Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Licenses are available for sale at the Town Clerk’s office.
Dog License – New York State Agriculture and Market Law requires that all dogs in New York State be licensed when they turn 4 months old. All dogs must be licensed in the Town where the dog is being harbored. The fee for spayed or neutered dogs is $12.50 and the fee for un-spayed or un-neutered dogs is $20.50. When the dog is licensed the owner receives a tag with a license number that is good for the life of the dog. After the original dog license is issued and is filed with the state, the Department of Agriculture and Markets, in Albany, mails out renewal notices yearly to the dog owners. It is important to keep your dog license up to date it is also the law. The yearly license renewal is a way to make sure the dog’s rabies shots are up to date. If for some reason a dog license is overdue, the Town Clerk’s office will call the month after it was due to remind you that the license is overdue. If we are unable to contact you by phone we will send you a “Hate to Hound You” post card as a reminder. If the license is still not paid, it is turned over to the Dog Control Officer to send out a ten-day (10) day notice that if the license is not paid a court appearance ticket will be issued. Ten (10) days later tickets are issued, unfortunately once the process starts with the ticketing process the deadline time for the ticket cannot be changed.
If you should move out of the township please let the Town Clerk’s office know that you have moved so we can take the dog’s license out of our active records. Make sure to notify the Town Clerk in the township that you have moved to so they can put the dog on their records.
The Town Clerk works very closely with the Dog Control Officer, Harry Hankey Jr. The Town Clerk helps to match the dog license tag with the owner of the dog if there is a problem with an animal or if it is running at large and picked up by the Dog Control Officer.
The Town of Schroeppel has a dog kennel where, if your dog is lost or missing, you can check to see if it is being housed. When dogs are not claimed by their owners Mr. Hankey works very hard to adopt out the dogs so if you are looking for a dog to adopt please contract Mr. Hankey.
The phone number for the Dog Control Officer is 695-4555; this is an answer phone where you would leave your name, message and phone number. If you have a complaint on a dog, you must leave your name and phone number or the Dog Control Officer cannot get back to you. Mr. Hankey also has a cell phone, 317-3010. Unfortunately the Town of Schroeppel does not have facilities for cats or other animals. See the Dog Control page for further information.
Handicapped Parking Permit – You must apply for a Handicapped Parking Permit through the Town Clerk’s office in the Township where you live. Because of all the misuse of the parking permits, the Department of Motor Vehicles has changed the requirement for a Handicapped Parking Permit. It will be required to place the last three digits of your driver’s license on the permit. Instead of just marking an expiration date on the permit, the new permits also have a punch-out for the month and year of expiration. A Medical Doctor (MD), Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) or Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) must authorize all parking permits. When taking the form to your doctor’s office, please, make sure the form is filled out completely. A person with temporary disability is any person who is temporarily unable to ambulate without the aid of an assisting devise such as a brace, cane, crutch, prosthetic device, another person, wheelchair or walker. A temporary permit is issued for periods of six months or less. The Town Clerk’s office will keep the original paperwork from your doctor but we always give the applicant a copy of the doctor’s approval. There will be some places that will ask to see the form.
One of the most asked questions is if you can receive more than one hangtag, unfortunately the Clerk can only issue one tag per person with the exception of a person traveling via air or train and will need your hangtag to use at your final destination, what we can do is issue a temporary hangtag for your car sitting in the parking lot while you are away so you can take your permanent hangtag with you on your trip. You can also apply for a handicapped license plate through the Motor Vehicle Department, the cost for the plate, if the registration is current, is $8.50 and you must turn in your old plates. The vehicle must be registered to the person who has the authorized handicap form or permit. If you have further questions about handicapped plates please call the Fulton DMV at 315-591-9136, the Oswego DMV at 315-349-8300 or the Pulaski DMV at 315-298-8254.
If you have a Handicapped Parking Permit DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE HANDCAPPED PARKING
PERMIT ON YOUR REAR VIEW MIRROR, it obstructs your view. Only put the parking permit on the rear view mirror when you are parked in the handicapped parking space. Make sure you lock your car doors. When you are not using the permit make sure it is out of sight and in a safe place, people have been known to break into cars to steal a parking permit. Please see the forms section for an “Application for a Handicapped Parking Permit.”
Some of the other services, licenses or fees collected and/or issued through the Town Clerk’s office are:
Bingo Licenses
Driveway Permits
Variances Fees
Building Permits
Junk Yard Permits
Zoning Books
Games of Chance Licenses
Site Plan Applications
Mobil Home Park Fees
Subdivision Fees
Miscellaneous Copies Charges
Simple Subdivision Fees
If you should have any questions in regards to licenses or fees please don’t hesitate to contact the Town Clerk’s office at 315-695-6231.
Forms Available on Website:
The forms available on the Town of Schroeppel website, Town Clerk’s page, are as follows:
“Certificate of Residency”
“Use of Building Form”
“Marriage Worksheet”
“Application to Local Registrar for a Copy of Birth Record”
“Application to Local Registrar for a Copy of Death Record”
“General Information and Application for a Genealogical Search”
“Application to Town Clerk for Copy of a Marriage Record”
“Handicapped Parking Permit”
“Freedom of Information”